


and you flutter after andromeda

by orphan_account



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Car Accident, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Milkshake Date!, Officer Lee Jeno, Open Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:21:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29018115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "I would much prefer to see the lovelyway she walks and the radiant glance of her facethan the war-chariots of the Lydians ortheir footsoldiers in arms."[Sappho]Donghyuck takes a prank a little too far and his world turns upside down. (For Lee Jeno is the criminal that backfires is plans.)
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20
Collections: Love Dream 2020





	and you flutter after andromeda

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nanaview](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanaview/gifts).



> I intended for this to be a bit longer and more angsty but alas I could not manage but I hope you like the creative take on the prompt you gave me. <3 This fic is a bit heavy but it gets fluffy at the end! Thank you for this wonderful opportunity and I sincerely hope you enjoy it!

“You’re an ass.”

That’s the first thing that leaves Jaemin’s mouth when Donghyuck arrives on campus with a black eye and bruised nose. He sees right through him, he always does, and to Donghyuck’s dismay there aren’t any comforting words for his battered state. Just ‘you’re an ass’ with a glare. Tightening his grip on his backpack strap, he scuffs his shoes against the concrete. He really doesn’t have any reasoning as to why he’s arrived like this, other than what Jaemin knows.

“You got into a fight with Mark again.” Jaemin states the obvious, and Donghyuck flinches. Yeah. Mark may be lanky, but he throws a mean punch. This entire rivalry started from a misunderstanding, and even when it was cleared up, they still couldn’t seem to get along. “This time...it’s because he’s with Chenle, right?”

Donghyuck shrugs. It feels like his voice is small in the depths of his heart, not wanting to justify why he got into this situation. He starts walking towards the main building, Jaemin at his side and glaring forwards. Nothing really mends the rift he’s causing between his friends. It’s there and he’s got to deal with the stares and whispers from other students. At one point his reputation was the harmless prankster who would just fill your water bottle with melted butter; but now he was branded as something akin to a delinquent, someone who took his pranks too far and now has to deal with the consequences of them because it’s always him. Sometimes the blame game isn’t fair and he gets blamed for things that aren’t his fault. Eventually it gets too malicious, to the point where he skips days to avoid people but they always talk and it always hurts. Hurts his pride, ego, his relationships and his own health. Along the way he forgot how to care, forgot what it was like before his reputation was boiled down to no-good delinquent. He knew the inevitable was coming - he would reach a point of no turning back, getting into things that would make him crash and burn. Yet Donghyuck didn’t know how to stop, how to turn around and confront himself, how to make things right again. So he kept going on head-first, never looking back because regret was always beaten out of him one way or another.

“Chenle can do whatever he wants, he’s a big boy.” Donghyuck muttered, grabbing his gym bag from his locker and blinking over at Jaemin. “If he wants to kiss up my enemy, so be it. Why should I care? I only got my ass beaten by Mark ‘cause I said something about his brother.”

“Wow, you really  _ are  _ an ass.” Jaemin’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he took out his textbook. “May I remind you that that's my best friend?”

“ _ I’m _ your best friend.”

“I can have more than one best friend, Donghyuck. Renjun, for instance, and you.”

Sagging his shoulders, Donghyuck let out a tired sigh. It was selfish of him to want more when he gave bare minimum. Maybe he was a shit friend. It didn’t help him from feeling dejected, wanting nothing more than a quiet moment to hug Jaemin and ask for forgiveness, but he didn’t. They weren’t kids anymore, they were students getting degrees and working jobs, driving cool cars and doing borderline illegal things or staying on the straight and narrow. Things never got any easier for any of them and it most likely never would. With Donghyuck’s driver’s license suspended for another three months, he couldn’t earn extra money in street races and pull his (mostly) harmless pranks on his competition. He almost missed the bus today, and that just dampened his mood even further.

“Let’s talk during practice, Jaem. Gotta run.” Donghyuck turned his back to Jaemin, waving a small and curt goodbye as he headed in the direction to his marine biology class.

“We are talking about this later!”

  
  
  
  
  


Sliding his tongue over his lips, Donghyuck looked up at the cloud-scattered sky. He leaned back, propped up by his arms as his legs extended below him on the grass. His soccer cleats were covered in dust and mud, a thin sheen of sweat covered his body. Jaemin sank into the grass next to him as their teammates played a mock game to let off some steam. His friend reached over and ruffled his already dirty and messy hair, releasing a hum of content. On days like this, he liked basking in the sun and soaking up warmth, but he was only acutely aware of how sweaty he was and how itchy the grass prodded the exposed spots of his legs. Jaemin didn’t push him to spill out his uncomfortable exchange that happened earlier, only just giving Donghyuck the soothing touches he needed. Sooner or later he would be in over his head, so for now it was better to pretend Jaemin wasn’t going to try to convince him to apologize to Mark...and Jeno.

Talking to Jeno was something he dreaded more than apologizing. Jeno was intimidating, Jeno was strong and rational, Jeno was nice. Jeno was everything Donghyuck wasn’t and couldn’t ever be, and for that, Donghyuck resented him. He had been told resenting Jeno for these things were childish, but Jeno was  _ The Golden Boy _ . Something Donghyuck wanted to be. It just rubbed salt on the wound when Donghyuck could acknowledge Jeno had gotten to where he was because he worked non-stop; worked until he couldn’t anymore, then worked some more. Jeno was both Donghyuck’s  _ hero  _ and his  _ enemy _ .

What was worse for him was that Jeno could see right through Donghyuck. Read him like an open book, pick apart his pranks and schemes and let them unravel in the palm of his hand. They weren’t close. Not at all; Jeno was usually collateral damage from Donghyuck trying to get under his brother’s skin. 

Donghyuck breathed in the smell of summer air, sprawling his limbs out against the grass. The sky was a royal blue, the sun sinking in its depths as practice went on. His uniform was probably covered in dirt and grass like his cleats. Jaemin tapped his calf to get his attention, standing up and hovering over his exhausted counterpart. “Look alive, Donghyuck. Officer Lee’s coming onto the field.”

Jaemin’s observation made him jolt upright, holding himself up with his arms as he twisted to look around the field. Sure enough, there was a figure dressed in black and dark blue. Donghyuck made a sound of discontent and laid back down. Seems like karma was biting him hard today. He threw an arm over his eyes, not taking it off even when the grass crunches beside him and he knew Jeno Lee was hovering over him with his hands on his hips—like a typical stern officer. Only when Jeno cleared his throat did he finally pull his arm away and look up at the upside-down face leaning over him. The thing about Jeno that Donghyuck disliked too was how handsome he is. He’s got a strong face and angular jaw, with thin, wisp-like lips that curl up naturally. His eyes are always half-moons that soften at anyone and anything. His nose is arched when you stare at it from the side and round when you stare at him from the front. His hair isn’t cut short like most officers; it’s parted on the side and frames his face in a handsome manner. The thing about Jeno is that no matter how hard Donghyuck tries to burn holes through his handsome face with a devilish glare, he can’t. Jeno just gives him his signature crescent smile that can melt anyone’s insides and Donghyuck resigns to glaring at the mole right below the corner of his left eye. The thing about Jeno is that no matter how hard Donghyuck tried to hate him with every ounce of his little heart, he can’t. He’s just faced with the reality that Jeno isn’t the bad person Donghyuck keeps trying to paint him as in his head. He’s Lee Jeno, Mark Lee’s brother and Donghyuck’s ultimatum.

“What,” Donghyuck’s voice catches in his throat but he smothers his guilt and pushes it out. “—do you want?”

“I want you to come with me.” He starts off strong; he always does. “To one of the offices.”

“And do what? Make out? Rail me against one of the desks?”

Jeno’s expression twists into something akin to annoyance which is Donghyuck’s specialty. For all the time he’s spent pestering Mark and making his life hell, he’s learned that Officer Lee does not have good patience. He also cries when angry.

“You don’t really have a choice, Lee. Either get up and come with me or you’ll be suspended.”

Donghyuck scoffs. He does exactly as he’s told, standing up and brushing the dirt and grass off of himself. He mutters something like ‘what a hard-ass’ under his breath, promising to meet up with Jaemin later before traipsing behind Jeno with boredom etched in his face. Whatever Jeno has planned for him is probably along the lines of disciplinary action—if his track record and gut feeling are right. It’s not like he and Jeno are close, with the jokes Donghyuck makes towards Jeno being those to rile him up (and usually ending in being ignored or reprimanding). As they walk to one of the offices, his heart drops to his stomach. Of course Jeno would want him and Mark Lee to make up or apologize, whatever causes less stress for anyone not in their internal feud. It becomes obvious when he sinks into the seat next to Mark and slumps down, staring at Jeno’s hands typing away at the computer on the desk. Mark doesn’t make any move to say anything. The bruise that had welled up on his cheek was starting to go down and he looked impossibly tired. Donghyuck shrugged it off, rationalizing that it wasn’t his problem to worry about.

“You two have three minutes to apologize to one another before I send a letter to the offices to suspend you both from your sport activities.” Jeno nearly growls out, goosebumps rising on Donghyuck’s skin. “Your little feud—fights, are getting out of hand. I don’t care who started it, it’s ending here or both of you are going to sit on the bleachers and watch your teams play instead of you.”

“I’m sorry Donghy-”

“That’s fine by me.” Donghyuck crosses his arms and glares at the floor. “I’m not apologizing to Mark.”

“Yet you’re the one doing all the shit to me.” Mark scowls back. “You’re so unself-aware that you’re just a pain in the ass.”

The fellow jock sticks his tongue out, not dignifying him with a proper response. Jeno rubs his temples before sliding a hand down his face.

“Donghyuck,” The officer was nearly pleading. “Please stop being so difficult.”

The clock on the wall ticks absently. Seconds pass. The minutes. Donghyuck’s own scowl only deepens, slumping further in the chair. He knows he’s being childish but the prideful part of him doesn’t want to give this up. He wants to make Mark uncomfortable, he wants to live in this loop of being everyone’s walking nightmare in the form of a boy with too much time on his hands. Yet when he looks back up at Jeno, who’s tired, worn-down and just wants the best for his brother, he gives in. He juts his bottom lip out in a pout but mutters out a semi-heartfelt apology that Mark visibly deflates when hearing. Jeno waves them out of the room, but Donghyuck stays. He stays in the chair and pulls his knees up to his chest.

“What are you doing?”

“Well, I was gonna beg for a ride home since practice is over.” Donghyuck resists the urge to smile. Jeno is so easy, because it takes exactly four seconds before the officer is rolling his eyes and letting out an exasperated sigh.

“You can drive.”

“My license is suspended.”

“The bus.”

“The next one is scheduled to come at nine thirty.”

“You don’t make this easy, do you?” Standing up, Jeno gathers his keys and belongings. Donghyuck just shakes his head and follows him as they leave the room and walk to the parking lot.

“Jeno-ya.”

“Jeno- _ hyung _ . I’m older than you, brat.”

“Jeno- _ ya _ ,” Donghyuck smiles like he’s about to pounce. “Buy me dinner please~!”

Jeno fumbles with his keys, narrowing his eyes as he tries to unlock his police cruiser. His actions make Donghyuck’s smile grow, knowing he’s got him flustered and lost for words. The tips of his ears must be red, Donghyuck assumes, because he can’t see them in the fading light of day nor under all that warm black hair. When Jeno finally gets the car unlocked, Donghyuck slides into the passenger seat with ease. It’s a familiar feeling; one that he keeps to himself. Jeno is better company than his brother, that’s for sure. His grip on the steering wheel turns his knuckles white.

“Seat belt.”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes and pulls the seatbelt across his body until he clicks it into place.

As they drive through the city, the officer slowly loosens up. His posture becomes more relaxed, and he drives with one hand. Donghyuck reaches over the center console to try to hold his hand, but as expected, Jeno jerks his hand away and drives with both hands again. The passenger pouts, sticks out his tongue, before focusing back on the window and the blurring street lights. Everything he does is to pester Jeno...but a part of him wants Jeno to notice him. To really notice him. Not as the delinquent who frequently visits the station, not as Mark’s ex best friend, not as the troubled twenty-one year old who has trouble living for himself. He wants Jeno to notice him as Donghyuck. Just Donghyuck—nothing more, nothing less. That’s even harder with Donghyuck’s view of Jeno; someone he both hates and admires. He grew this garden full of roses, now he’s picking at the thorns and hoping for more petals instead. They stop at a take-out restaurant, because Jeno is easy and Donghyuck has a way with him. (“Just don’t eat in my car.” He had said, and Donghyuck had obliged. He’d pushed all of his buttons enough today.)

When Donghyuck lays on his bed at two in the morning under his red wall lights, staring up at the astrology posters he’d plastered all over his ceiling, he’s inclined to think maybe the hate he harbors for Jeno is just envy. Though it’s not like he’d ever admit that, especially not while texting Jaemin with a devilish grin and a plan to really get back at Mark. Donghyuck is petty; he’s relentless and restless at night, when there’s too much time to think and enough barbed wire with ice in his own little heart to make anyone else around him freeze. He wants to get back at Mark badly. He wants to make him suffer, truly, for making his existence excruciating. For stealing his little brother. 

So he texts Jaemin something that makes his best friend send him lines upon lines of discouraging and panicked texts before turning over his phone and sinking into sleep.

  
  
  
  


"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Jaemin had wrapped his fingers around Donghyuck's forearm and pulled him to the side after their gym session.

Both of them were doused in sweat, shirts soaked and sticking to their bodies. They needed a shower, but for now, Donghyuck just toweled his face dry—flinching when he accidentally touched his healing bruises. The look on Jaemin's face was a bit terrifying; something mixed between a bridled anger and pure confusion. Donghyuck pulled his arm out of his best friend’s grip, rolling his shoulders back to loosen up the tension. 

“I’m getting back at Mark.” 

“By going for Jeno?!” 

"It's the easiest way.” Donghyuck glared at the ravenette. “The most direct way to make a statement too.”

Jaemin stared at him in awe. He was a bit taken back by Donghyuck’s lack of restraint, but didn’t move to stop him. Instead he gritted his teeth, balled his fists, and let out a stressed sigh. They both knew this was a beyond terrible idea. Not only was Donghyuck putting his scholarship on the line, but he was putting other people’s sincere feelings on the line for a petty bone-deep rivalry. It was almost as if Donghyuck was begging for karma to strike him down where he stood. While Donghyuck was handsome himself, Karma was an even more fine lady in an orange dress with a dagger behind her back. Said boy blinked at the other standing beside him. He knew what he was doing, he just didn’t understand the consequences of it.

“What exactly is your plan?”

Donghyuck licked his lips. “I’m going to prank Lee Jeno into falling in love with me.” He averted his eyes, looking around before turning his burning gaze back to Jaemin. “Then I’m going to rip out his heart.”

“Oh my God,” Jaemin breathed out, “You’re absolutely insane. You’re going to break yourself with this too, you do know that, right?”

Donghyuck held up a fist and bit his tongue. It was a cheeky gesture. “It’s a sacrifice worth making.”

“No it’s not.”

“You don’t get to tell me what’s worth it or not, Jaemin. I’m sick of staying in Mark’s shadow. While he gets to be everyone’s ‘golden boy’, I’m stuck being the guy with a bad reputation that I didn’t even cause. I’m living up to a reputation he gave me!” Donghyuck snapped. Closing his eyes, he exhaled slowly. “I know you only want the best for me Jaemin. I love you, I really do. I just can’t keep living like this. Please let me feel this one out.”

Oh.  _ Oh _ . Jaemin’s ears twitched from his clenched jaw. Though annoyed, he pulled Donghyuck in for a hug. Now he knew why - truly knew why Donghyuck was doing this. It wasn’t just because of Mark. He knew he had issues to work through, had to work them out but he didn’t have to do them alone. A part of him knew that Donghyuck didn’t want to do this alone. Truly, Donghyuck was setting himself up in a checkmate.

“Okay, Hyuck. I’ll let you go through with this...just...don’t drag me into it.”

“No promises.” Donghyuck gave him a lopsided smile, before his eyes were immediately drawn to Jeno’s broad figure standing by the gym doors talking to the coach. He looked over to Jaemin, who gave him a pleading look, before scoffing and stomping over to the officer. Their conversation seemed to be serious, but that didn’t stop Donghyuck from latching onto Jeno like a touch starved koala bear. Jeno took it in strides, flashing a small awkward smile to the coach before the coach backed away.

“Jeno~yah I missed you!”

Jeno held his arms up as if he was afraid to embrace Donghyuck in public. (He was.) He looked at Donghyuck, nudging him off with his shoulder. “I’m on duty, Donghyuck.”

“So?”

“So I can’t play your little games right now.”

Donghyuck loosened his grip yet smiled wider. “That didn’t stop you before.”

Jeno rolled his eyes, shrugging Donghyuck off. Being this brash and open in public was a danger to both of them. Donghyuck rounded around Jeno, throwing his arms around his neck. If there could be, there would be floating hearts around Donghyuck’s head. Jeno was rightfully thrown off by his attitude, used to the clingy but more stand-offish student he got acquainted with. Peeling Donghyuck’s arms off of himself, Jeno took a few steps back and crossed his arms.

“What do you want?” He sighed out. He rolled his shoulders and popped his neck, annoyance dripping into his tone.

“You.”

Jeno’s face tinted a crimson hue but he scowled. “Not happening.”

“And if I keep going after you?”

“I’ll arrest you for public indecency.” Jeno held up his hands, palms toward Donghyuck in defeat. “ _ What _ do you want, Lee?”

“Take me on a date, Jeno.” Donghyuck stayed where he stood. “Give me a chance to prove I’m not the image of the kid you’ve made in your head. I’m twenty one now. We’re going to be adults about this, right?”

Jeno squinted at him. “You are anything but mature, Hyuck.”

The smile on Donghyuck’s face broke into giddy giggles. He called him Hyuck. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he stared at Jeno. He stared at him until the officer twitched uncomfortably under his gaze before letting out an exasperated sigh and waved him away. The walkie talkie on his shoulder blared static before a woman’s voice rang through, speaking in a police code that Donghyuck couldn’t quite decipher. Jeno turned away from him but Donghyuck rushed forward and hugged him. Jeno stopped in his tracks, twisting to look at the boy latched to his side. His icy demeanor melted for a moment, wrapping his arms around Donghyuck before pulling out of his grip and leaving without so much as a goodbye.

Gritting his teeth, Donghyuck stared at the closing doors. It was far from over.

  
  
  


Fate plays like an 8-track for Donghyuck. They meet at the police station, where Donghyuck has collected more bruises and scrapes and a totaled car. He’s handcuffed to a metal chair, lip busted and blood matting his hair. His eyes are puffy because despite being a nuisance to some, he’s just someone who wants to do well in the world but doesn’t know how. When Jeno sees him, his clipboard falls to the ground with a clatter as he rushes over to where Donghyuck sits. A medic is still tending to his wounds but he was deemed lucid and intact enough for a witness report.

“What happened?” Jeno kneeled in front of Donghyuck. He reached up and patted Donghyuck’s cheek, trying to keep him awake but Donghyuck was still processing the shock. “Hyuck, are you here with me?”

Donghyuck blinked once. Then twice. Then looked at Jeno, eyes red as more tears ran down his stained cheeks. “I don’t feel so good, Jeno.”

The panic that surged through Jeno was extreme; sucking in a harsh breath through his teeth as he asked the medic to leave them be. He grabbed a breathalyzer from his desk, making Donghyuck blow into it. When the numbers processed, he panicked and cleared the tool’s input, uncuffing Donghyuck and pulling him into his chest.

“Cocaine, Donghyuck, what the fuck…” Jeno’s grip on his shoulders was deathly. “Who the fuck gave you cocaine?!”

“Some friends. Was at a party. Hyung, I don’t feel very good. Everything aches.”

“I know, Hyuck.” Jeno petted Donghyuck’s hair gently. “You’re going to feel bad coming off the high.”

Donghyuck’s shaky arms came to loop around Jeno’s waist. Instead, Jeno picked him up by hooking an arm behind his back and an arm under his knees, ignoring the stares of the other officers as he carried Donghyuck to his police cruiser. His charges would be cleared anyways; Donghyuck’s parents wanted their child to stay golden. Jeno snorted at that. Maybe if they didn’t neglect their child, he wouldn’t be off the rails and having near-death experiences every other week. Them leaving Donghyuck alone and without them was the start of Donghyuck’s downfall. The rest was self-induced through the lack of a proper guiding hand. Jeno came into Donghyuck’s life a little too late.

“Where we goin’ hyung?” Donghyuck slurred out, still shaking in Jeno’s hold.

“To the hospital. Then—”

“Don’t make me go home. Don’t make me go back there, please.” Tears started rolling down Donghyuck’s face again. His lips were puffing up, tip of his nose red as he sniffled. “Don’t wanna be alone.”

“Then we’re going to my place.” Jeno pulled the seat belt over Donghyuck’s frame. He reluctantly pulled himself out of Donghyuck’s clawing grip. “I’ve got you, Hyuck. You’re safe.”

Jeno stayed true to his word. He brought Donghyuck to the hospital and held his hand as the doctors pumped him full of meds and cycled out the remaining drugs in his system. He couldn’t part from Donghyuck even when they needed to x-ray him—Donghyuck was a mess, crying and wailing whenever Jeno wasn’t in sight. That’s when the reality finally crashed into him; Donghyuck was afraid. He was scared for his life and Jeno was the only person grounding him to reality right now. So he swallowed his pride and held Donghyuck’s hand as he laid in the hospital bed and stared up at the ceiling with a near dead expression. He ran his fingers over the ridges of Donghyuck’s, finding small sparks of joy whenever Donghyuck would blink and squeeze his hand back.

“It wasn’t just one time, was it? How long have you been addicted?”

“Five years. Not just coke but - others...too…” Donghyuck rolled over on the bed to make his back face Jeno. “‘M still addicted to weed. It’s the only thing that takes the edge off. Coke was a one-time deal.”

“Hyuck you might—”

“I’m not addicted to it, Jeno!” Donghyuck snapped. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”   
  
“Then when? When you’re dead?”   
  
“Stop that!” Donghyuck jolted up. Crying once more, sobs choking out of him. “You’re just like everyone else, Jeno. You don’t take anything I feel or do seriously until something like this happens. So don’t you dare act like anything I do or say matters now!”

“Donghyuck…”

“I want to go home with Jaemin instead.”

“No.” Jeno stood up. “You’re not going with Jaemin. You’re going with me so I can keep an eye on you and make sure you’re healing properly. I don’t care about whatever you think about me now. Maybe I’m a monster to you. Maybe I’m your worst enemy. Worse than Mark. But I’m not leaving you to rot in your own self-pity, Donghyuck. I’m not going to sit by and let you slap labels on everyone but yourself. I care about you Hyuck, but you have got to man up and let me in.” He leaned against the bed, leaning over Donghyuck. “It’s okay to feel bad. It’s okay to feel alone but I’m not leaving you.”

“Why don’t you take my feelings seriously then?” Donghyuck choked out. “You push me away too.”

“You have bad timing. I could lose my job when you’re on campus clinging to me.” Jeno sighed. “But I’ve catered to everything you’ve wanted when other people aren’t looking.”

Donghyuck swallowed thickly.

“If you mean it then kiss me.”

Jeno laughed, tilting his head down. He leaned towards Donghyuck, who closed his eyes expectantly. Instead of what he expected, Jeno had pressed his lips to Donghyuck’s forehead. He drew away just as quickly, gripping the edge of the hospital bed with white knuckles. “Go to sleep, Donghyuck.”

“Smartass.” Donghyuck grumbled yet obliged and plopped back down against the bed. He couldn’t really sleep if he wanted to.

  
  
  


“Jeno.” Donghyuck padded into the living room, holding one of Jeno’s fluff filled pillows. “I can’t sleep.”   
  
Jeno uncovered his eyes, looking at the clock. Three in the morning. That was quite on time for this episode. Ever since Donghyuck got released from the hospital, he’d been having consistent mood swings. Their relationship was unsteady with Donghyuck exploding on Jeno randomly, but he did his best with this new change. At first he assumed it was the withdrawals making him like this but now it seemed more ingrained into Donghyuck’s being than anything else. He’d tried looking into solutions, finding that therapy seemed to be an efficient means to deal with it, but he didn’t want Donghyuck to take it the wrong way if he brought the subject up. 

“Come here.” He held his arms out. Donghyuck had dark rings under his eyes, lazily crawling on top of Jeno and snuggling into him. Jeno carded his hair. It lulled the boy to sleep, letting him rest easy against him. Jaemin visited from time to time, but the lingering guilt he held kept him from staying around to see Donghyuck heal. So Jeno conceded and kept Donghyuck in his arms, hoping for the day where Donghyuck could grow on his own.

  
  
  


“Come on Donghyuck, get up.”

Donghyuck shifted in the bed. He’s been wearing Jeno’s clothes for a while. All of it was a size too big, especially with how small Donghyuck’s frame was from a lack of nutrition. He’d been mostly sleeping, eating only when Jeno ate with him and encouraged him to eat. Walking to the bed, Jeno sat on the edge and leaned over Donghyuck, who blinked drowsily up at him. Donghyuck held his arms up and out, Jeno leaning into him and letting Donghyuck nuzzle his face into the crook of his neck, arms wrapping around his shoulders. Jeno leane back up, pulling Donghyuck with him and into his lap.

“We’re going to go get milkshakes. Is that okay?”

Donghyuck nodded, hugging Jeno tighter.

“Jeno, I need to talk to you…” Donghyuck shakily breathed out against his neck. “I’ve been trying to prank you into falling in love with me so I could break your heart and hurt Mark.”

“I know.”   
  
Donghyuck pulled away, confusion etched on his face. “You knew?!”

“You’re not subtle, Hyuck. You’re loud and bright like the sun. You don’t settle for anything less.” Jeno let out a small chuckle. “I am a little hurt you think I’m that gullible and easy but...I want to see you shine again. A world without it’s sun is a really scary and cold place, Hyuck. I may be a fool but...”

Donghyuck quelled his surprise and biting blush. He choked back the relief, relaxing his shoulders. “I think it may have accidentally backfired on me.”

“That sounds on brand with Donghyuck too.”

The said boy let out a dry laugh, keeping Jeno close. He shouldn’t be letting himself get this close to him, he shouldn't be holding on this tightly to him but here he was, hand clawing into Jeno’s back and holding onto him for dear life. Jeno rubbed his back and let him rest for a few minutes. He was too warm in the way it was suffocating Donghyuck was the sheer feeling of goodness. Jeno’s positivity was so foreign to him; it was hard to grasp at, to swallow down and accept. So here Donghyuck was, holding on and trying to understand.

“Ready?”

“Yeah…” Donghyuck breathed out, wearing a pair of Jeno’s shorts and taking one of his hoodies. Jeno didn’t make him change, which he was thankful for.

The drive was quiet. Neither pressed for conversation but Jeno didn’t hesitate to make quips about small things he noticed. Despite Donghyuck’s silence, it was appreciated nonetheless...and when they sat in the car together sipping down their milkshakes, Donghyuck finally made an unprompted comment.

“Strawberry? I thought you were a vanilla kind of guy.”

“Says the one drinking vanilla when you seem like a strawberry guy.” Jeno breathed out, a line of pink on his top lip. Donghyuck smiled at that and leaned toward him yet waited for any kind of sign to move forward. Jeno tipped his head in towards him, letting Donghyuck kiss off the lingering taste of strawberries. When he pulled away, Jeno’s lip was glossy bright red for a different reason.

“I’m not gonna pursue a relationship ‘til I have my head straight, Jen.” Donghyuck sighed inches away from Jeno’s upturned lips. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t wait for it. If you want it to, I mean. Now that I have all my dirty laundry aired out. And I’m clean.”

“You’re recovering, Hyuck. You don’t need a relationship to add to that stress.” Jeno’s lips ghosted over his. “I am willing to wait for you. You’ve been through enough already.”

“Hyung, you’re really pretty…”

Maybe Donghyuck would never repair the rift he has with his friends, but he was going to start closing the apertures in himself. He would heal on his own terms, at his own pace, with himself. Jeno was a gracious guiding hand, someone who truly cared. Although their relationship - or whatever this was - was a bit rocky, he treasured it as a mutual chemistry. That’s why Jeno leaned in at the same time he did, tasting the vanilla off his own tongue and being pressed into the passenger seat.

He was a mess but he was alive.

When Donghyuck walked into the police office six months later from a routine therapy session after class, Jeno kissed him just the same.


End file.
